Ermisch Cellars Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge

Ermisch Family Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir “Erendira’s Rise”

WHY WE LOVE IT

  • The aim of this winery is to create single vineyard wines showing the different facets of Oregon’s terroir in single standalone bottlings.
  • This wine’s fruit is exclusively sourced from Lichtenwalter’s vineyard in the Ribbon Ridge AVA.
  • Clonal selection is broad and inclusive – Pommard, Wadenswil, Dijon 115, and Dijon 777.
  • The Ribbon Ridge fruit gives us forward red berry flavors and a weighty palate. All other winery bottlings from this vineyard list at +$65.

Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir

Elaboration: Hand harvested grapes, fermented in open-top bins, manually punched down two to three times daily and aged 12 months in new, 1st and 2nd use French oak barrels. Minimal intervention, no tartaric acid or sugar added. Sustainably farmed and live certified.

Tasting Notes: “Warm and fruity from the moment you pull the cork, this ripe round satisfying wine matches raspberry and cherry fruit to vivid streaks of orange and grapefruit. Then it glides across the palate and on into a smooth rich finish, cloaked in milk chocolate. It’s a lovely drink-now bottle. ” ~Wine Enthusiast

PRESS

2014 – 91 Wine Enthusiast | 91 Wine Spectator

2015 – 90 Wine Spectator

2017 – 91 Wine Enthusiast

2021 – 91 Wine Enthusiast

PRODUCER BACKGROUND

This is Ermisch Family Cellars’ 10th harvest this year. After making wine continuously in Argentina since 1997, Christopher “Kirk” Ermisch decided to try his hand at Oregon’s iconic Pinot Noir after basing his US wine importing business in Bend in 2001. Originally called Erendira’s Rise, the wine sought to showcase the overcoming of a challenge. In this case it was about a new grape in a new region for the winemaker. Fast forward to 2021, it is now about making wine that is professionally well-made, a delight to consumers and a reflection of the terroir of the vineyard and clone of Pinot made. While this current focus is certainly not a new story, Ermisch Family Cellars is about quality for value.

As we move forward, this project is increasingly about family. What started as a solo, small scale project by Kirk, is now about working with his daughter, Hannah, who is a trained winemaker and Sommelier, to take the wines to a broader public. Now as a father daughter team, Hannah has been a part of the past three harvests, and is increasingly taking more on. This means a slightly bigger case production and incorporating other unique vineyard sites and other varieties that are also now emblematic to Oregon.

Print Shelf Talker
Print Rated Shelf Talker (2017 – 91 Wine Enthusiast)
Print Rated Shelf Talker (2021 – 91 Wine Enthusiast)